Gators Well Represented in Preseason National Rankings
Monday, September 8, 2014 | Women's Tennis
Sophomore Kourtney Keegan, junior Brianna Morgan and sophomore Belinda Woolcock represent the University of Florida women's tennis team in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I Women's Preseason Rankings, released Monday afternoon.
Morgan is the highest ranked Gator on the individual national singles chart at No. 14, matching her career-high ITA singles ranking. Keegan is No. 51, while Woolcock is No. 89.
While freshmen are not eligible for a national singles ranking until January, the ITA does produce a top-10 list of the best newcomers and all three Gator rookies made the list. Indianapolis, Indiana, native Brooke Austin claims the No. 1 spot with Josie Kuhlman of Ponte Verde, Florida, right behind at No. 2. Peggy Porter from Dallas, Texas rounds out the stellar Gator freshman class at No. 4.
Keegan and Woolcock are ranked No. 13 in the ITA National Preseason Doubles Rankings, a new career-high doubles ranking for both sophomores.
Team rankings are initially released in January.
Also announced Monday were the selections for the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships, held Sept. 27-Oct. 5 in California.
GATORS SELECTED FOR RIVIERA/ITA ALL-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
· Brianna Morgan received an automatic berth into the singles main draw
· Kourtney Keegan and Brooke Austin earned a spot in the singles qualifying draw
· Belinda Woolcock is No. 14 on the qualifying singles draw alternate list (will play pre-qualifying if spot not available)
· Josie Kuhlman was awarded a pre-qualifying singles draw spot
· Spencer Liang is No. 20 and Stefani Stojic is No. 28 on the pre-qualifying singles alternate list
· Keegan & Woolcock are No. 1 in the doubles main draw alternate list (will play qualifying if spot not available)
· Morgan and Austin are on the doubles prequalifying list
ABOUT THE RIVIERA/ITA ALL-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
· For the 30th year, the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, California, will serve as the host site for the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships. The national event is set to begin on Saturday, September 27 with pre-qualifying singles and doubles matches, which will once again be hosted by UCLA. Main draw action is slated for Thursday, October 2-5.
· Considered the first of the Collegiate Grand Slam events
FIRST ACTION OF THE SEASON
· The Gators will play at the Duke Invitational, September 12-14
· It is an individual singles and doubles tournament with draws
· All eight Gators on the 2014-15 roster will be participating
